Spokane drivers fight speed traps with Twitter

SPOKANE, Wash. - A group of Spokane drivers has found a new use for the social networking web site Twitter. Instead of just updating their status, they're updating the status of local law enforcement officers in an apparent fight against speed traps.

The Twitter page is called 'SpokoPoPo' and is accompanied with the bio line "Tell us where the police are lurking. If you see one, let us know. Help Prevent tickets."

The idea behind the Twitter page is to use your cell phone and update other followers of the group on the location of police officers and speed traps. It's all made possible because Twitter updates in real time and many phones are capable of running the application.

Local law enforcement responded with a laugh when KHQ told them about the page. Law enforcement was amused that someone would go through that much trouble to get this type of information out.

"Tweets that are going out saying hey, they are at these locations, we do that," said Spokane Police officer John Gately. "We send our press releases to anybody who wants to know... that we're at this location, but we will still get all the violations."

The existence of the Twitter page also creates a paradox of sorts. Using your cell phone to text or, in this case, Tweet while driving can add an extra $124 to your ticket if you are pulled over for speeding.

"How many people are able to drive within their own lanes and maintain their speeds... when they're looking down at a cell phone?," said Gately. "Tweeting obviously takes a little bit of time to get all the characters and then to send it."

At this point, the SpokoPoPo page only has 12 followers and very few Tweets about where alleged speed traps are, though more people may catch on during the summer months.

BREWSTER, Wash. - Deputies and officers in Okanogan County are investigating after a shooting Sunday morning. Okanogan County Sheriff's deputies and officers from the Brewster police Department responded to a call at 502 North Star Road in Brewster for a report of a 19-year-old man with a gun.

BREWSTER, Wash. - Deputies and officers in Okanogan County are investigating after a shooting Sunday morning. Okanogan County Sheriff's deputies and officers from the Brewster police Department responded to a call at 502 North Star Road in Brewster for a report of a 19-year-old man with a gun.

The Spokane Fire Department is still looking into the cause of a fire Monday.

Authorities in Mississippi say a 9-year-old boy has shot his 13-year-old sister in the head and wounded her after an argument over a video game controller. Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell told local news outlets that the girl wouldn't give up the video game controller when her brother wanted it on Saturday. He says the boy shot the girl in the back of the head and that the bullet entered her brain.

Authorities in Mississippi say a 9-year-old boy has shot his 13-year-old sister in the head and wounded her after an argument over a video game controller. Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell told local news outlets that the girl wouldn't give up the video game controller when her brother wanted it on Saturday. He says the boy shot the girl in the back of the head and that the bullet entered her brain.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The mother of a Pennsylvania teenager says she went from not eating or sleeping to crying tears of relief when her missing daughter was located in a popular Mexican resort city. Miu Luu tells The (Allentown) Morning Call she's happy 16-year-old Amy Yu has been found. Federal agents and Mexican authorities found Amy and 45-year-old Kevin Esterly Saturday in Playa del Carmen.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The mother of a Pennsylvania teenager says she went from not eating or sleeping to crying tears of relief when her missing daughter was located in a popular Mexican resort city. Miu Luu tells The (Allentown) Morning Call she's happy 16-year-old Amy Yu has been found. Federal agents and Mexican authorities found Amy and 45-year-old Kevin Esterly Saturday in Playa del Carmen.

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - Two former Pierce County sheriff's deputies are suing the county, saying the agency tried to cover up how a man who killed his wife and himself obtained the gun he used in the killings.

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - Two former Pierce County sheriff's deputies are suing the county, saying the agency tried to cover up how a man who killed his wife and himself obtained the gun he used in the killings.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) - Authorities have released the names of the woman and the ex-husband who shot her to death at a busy Southern California mall. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office identified the victim in Saturday's shooting as 29-year-old Parisa Siddiqi and the suspect as 33-year-old Kevin Crane.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) - Authorities have released the names of the woman and the ex-husband who shot her to death at a busy Southern California mall. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office identified the victim in Saturday's shooting as 29-year-old Parisa Siddiqi and the suspect as 33-year-old Kevin Crane.

AUSTIN (AP) - Austin's police chief says the two men injured in the most recent bombing in Austin were riding or pushing bicycles when the explosives detonated. Police Chief Brian Manley told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday that Sunday night's explosion was detonated by a tripwire and showed "a different level of skill."

AUSTIN (AP) - Austin's police chief says the two men injured in the most recent bombing in Austin were riding or pushing bicycles when the explosives detonated. Police Chief Brian Manley told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Monday that Sunday night's explosion was detonated by a tripwire and showed "a different level of skill."